Greek Archaeology: Classical, Hellenistic, and Early Roman Imperial

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course provides an in-depth introduction to the archaeology of the ancient Greek world, focusing on the Classical, Hellenistic and Early Roman Imperial periods (ca. 480 BC to AD 138). The survey of material culture traces the development of architecture, painting, sculpture, coinage, and other archaeological material in relation to cultural, political, social and philosophical issues. The course explores the urban, sacred, rural, funerary and provincial landscapes of Greece and introduces students to the analysis and interpretation of archaeological sites, monuments, artifacts, and art. Topics include the Athenian Acropolis in the age of Pericles, the masterpieces of Praxiteles and Lysippos, the creation of the Roman province of Greece under Augustus, and Hadrian's Roman Agora in Athens, as well as the methods, results, and theory of archaeological research in the areas of field excavation and intensive surface survey. Through the material record, the course attempts to reconstruct what life might have been like in ancient Greece.